Filling head



G. J. HUNTLEY ETAL March 1 1, 1941 Patented Mar. 11, 1941 UNITED STATESPATENT OFFICE more,

Md., assignors to Crown Cork & Seal Company, Inc., Baltimore, Md., acorporation of New York Original application May 15, 1933, Serial No.671,266. Divided and this application February 15, 1935, Serial No.6,720.

4 Claims.

The present invention relates to a filling head, the application being adivision of our filling machine application Serial No. 671,266, filedMay 15, 1933.

The invention of the present application is particularly designed foruse in placing a charge of syrup in a bottle to be subsequentlycompletely filled by an additional charge of carbonated water. However,the invention is obviously applicable for completely filling a bottle orother container.

The principal object of the invention is to providea filling head whichis so constructed that an exactly measured quantity of liquid will bedelivered to each bottle. 1

Because of the lack of any simple mechanism for filling bottles with anaccurately measured quantity of liquid, it has heretofore frequentlybeen the practice to fill each bottle to a predetermined height. Sincebottles of the same rated capacity have varying internal measurements,if the filling of the bottle is regulated only according to the heightof the liquid in the bottle, various bottles will contain diflerentamounts of liquid, and in order to insure that each bottle will containat least the quantity indicated on the label under which it is sold, itis necessary to fill each bottle to a height based on calculations as tothe average minimum capacity of bottles of that size. Since a number ofbottles of the same rated capacity may have an actual capacityconsiderably above the average minimum when filled to the predeterminedheight, it results that the bottler uses a considerably greater quantityof liquid than would be the case if each bottle were filled to exactlyits labeled content.

For example, in the filling of two ounce liquor bottles, the height offilling is set at a point which will place an extra one-half cubiccentimeter of liquor in the average bottle, thereby insuring that everybottle will have at least two ounces of liquor therein. However, actualmeasurements have proven that the amount of liquor in each bottle variesfrom two ounces to two ounces and three cubic centimeters. The result ofthis is that, in a day's filling, several hundred dollars worth ofliquor is placed in the bottles merely to insure that each bottle willcontain the proper quantity, this extra quantity of liquor of coursebeing a complete loss to the bottler.

Our invention is obviously also applicable for the partial filling ofbottles. In the bottling of soft drinks, it is customary to place acharge of syrup in the bottle before the charged water is RenewedFebruary flowed in, but the syruping head structures used with fillingmachines at the present time are provided with valve mechanisms whichwill permit various quantities of syrup to flow to different bottles.

The filling machines used for bottling soft drinks include a syrupingmechanism of syrup filling head provided with a measuring chamber whichcommunicates with a main syrup tank or reservoir and also with a nozzleadapted to engage the mouth of the bottle, the measuring chamberalternately communicating with the reservoir and the filling nozzle bymovement of a valve. Heretofore, the design of the structure has beensuch that it is possible for syrup to flow from the reservoir, past thevalve and through the filling nozzle into the bottle during the intervalwhen the valve is moving from one position to the other. Any syrupflowing past the valve in this manner is of course surplus and above thequantity delivered from the usual measuring chamber of the syrupinghead. In bottling practice, this surplus flow of syrup is ordinarilyregarded as a constant factor, but differences in the amount of syrup inthe main storage tank located some distance above the syruping headnaturally affect the head of pressure under which the surplus syrupfiows and cause variances in this flow, since the surplus syrup does notpass through the measuring chamber and its fiow is entirely regulated bythe head of pressure in the main syrup tank and line. This results inineflicient filling in that the amount of syrup in each bottle will varywith respect to the amount of charged water subsequently supplied to thebottle and the flavor of the beverage will vary accordingly.

Another defect of the type of valve ordinarily used in syruping headsresults from the method of operation of the valve whereby if the machineis stopped during movement of the valve from one position to the other,the valve, being open, will permit syrup to flow continuously from themain syrup tank to the bottle, thereby resulting in a waste of syrup andrequiring the operation of the machine to be suspended to enable it tobe cleaned. A manual valve must be usually included in the syrup line tobe closed under such conditions. I

The filling head of the present invention includes a valve which is sodesigned that it will be impossible for the line from the main syruptank to be opened directly to the bottle at any time. The valve is soconstructed that when the line between the main syrup tank and the syrup1 4o 3 ber, the measuring chamber will not deliver the a syrup float,the syrup float being adapted to rise and fall as syrup flows into andoutoi'. the chamber, respectively. A rod is mounted in the upper portionof the syrup measuring chamber with its lower end positioned to limitthe upward movement of the float and to thereby de-" termine the amountof syrup which may flow into the measuring chamber and which subse-:quently may be delivered to a bottle. The opposite end of this rodprojects from the measuring chamber and graduations are marked on thelatter end of the rod. The positioning of the rod in accordance withthese graduations is intended to position the float so that the capacityof the chamber will be fixed in accordance with the graduated marking atwhich the rod is set.

The arrangement just described is not accurate because of the fact thatthe capacity of the measuring chamber may vary due to slight variancesin the diameter of the measuring chamber and because of differences inthe thickness of the packing with which the float is provided. Even ifthe measuring chamber is carefully machined, its float positioning rodcannot be readily provided withgraduations corresponding to the actual 5and exact capacity of the measuring chamber to which it is to be fitted,and therefore graduations on the rod do not necessarily indicate thetrueand exact capacity of th measuring chamber. It is obvious that if thecapacity of a particular measuring chamber does not exactly correspondto the reading on the rod which controls the float of that measuringchamproper amount of syrup to bottles, and this will result in adeparture from the proper flavor of the beverage. I

Another object of the present invention is to provide a meanswhereby'the capacity of the syrup measuring chamber will be accuratelyindicated by the syrup measuring rod.

In conformity with this object, we provide an adjusting device at thelower end of the syrup measuring rod, which device may be pre-set at thefactory so that the positions at which the syrup measuring float will beset by the rod will accurately correspond to the rod graduations.

Structures similar to the syruping mechanism used on soft drink fillingmachines are frequently used for the complete filling of bottleswith'alcoholic liquor or other liquids and when so used, result in thesame,inaccuracies in'filling as result when such structures are used forsyruping or partially filling bottles. These difllculties in thecomplete filling of bottles will naturally be obviated by the use of themechanism of th present invention.

'Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from thefollowing specification and drawings in which,

Figure 1 shows the filling head of the present invention in verticalsection, the invention being shown mounted for use in syruping bottlesand as comprising a part of the syruping mechanism of'a filling machine.The view also shows the mounting of the device in vertical section.

Figure 2 is a detail vertical'sectional view of the filling head, I

- The-drawings showiiou Figure 3 is a horizontal sectional view on theline I3 of Figure 2, and v Figure 4 is a horizontal sectional view onthe line of Figure 2.

a T -iii used with 5 the syruping mechanism of a filling machine but itwill be obvious that the head may be used on any'machine for completelyfilling a bottle or other container.

Liquid is supplied to the filling mechanism of 10 the finvntion from astorage tank, not shown, 'and located'above the mechanism so that theliquidwill flow ffrom the storage tank to the syrup reservoir 2I0 bygravity, as is customary. Referring to Figure 1, the reservoir 2I0preferably has the usual glass walls in order that its contents 'may beobserved. Reservoir 2I0 is mounted at the upper end of the syrupingmechanism upon uprights 2I2 fixed to the rotatingsyruping.mechanismsupporting structure I28 in order that the reservoir2iii may rotate withthe syruping mechanism. The syruping mechanism preferably comprises oneor more filling heads 2I3, according tothe capacity of thejmachine ofwhich the'syruping mechanism forms a .part. Each filling head isvertically reciprocable' in a bore 2 in a flange 2I5 extending from thetubular supporting member I 28. Liquid is supplied to each of thefilling heads from reservoir 2Ill through a fiexible tube 2I6 havingits'lower end positioned upon an inlet fitting 2II suitably secured tothe filling head. The filling head M3 is supported upon a bell crankcam'member 2I6 pivoted upon the upper end of the tubular member I28 at2| 9, the horizontal arm 226 of each bell crank 2I8 being provided witha pin 22I which supports a yoke 222, the lower end of the yoke beingengaged in sockets in the cap 223 of the respective filling head. Theupstanding arm 224 of the bell crank lever 2I8 is provided with 40 afreely rotatable sleeve 225 which engages a vertically depending camtrack 226 preferably formed integral with a head plate 221 fixed to theextreme upper end of a post I26.

By means of the structure described above, the rotation of the structureI26 with respect to the stationary post I26 and head plate 221 willcause the reservoir 2I0, filling head 2I3, and the bell crank cam lever2I8 supporting the latter to rotate with respect to the cam track 226 sothat the bell crank cam lever 2I6 will be swung on its pivot inaccordance with the configuration of the cam track. The bottles to besyruped will be supported upon a rotating table, not shown, which willrotate with the heads 2I3 and structure I28. The arrangement of the camtrack 226 is such that a head 2I3 aligned with a bottle just received bythe syruping mechanism will be in raised position. Immediatelythereafter, as the mechanism rotates, the head will descend to contactwith the mouth of the bottle to syrup the same. The head will moveupwardly again and clear of the mouth of the bottle after the bottle hasbeen syruped. The head is held against rotation in the bore 2 by reasonof the fact that the inlet pipe fitting 2I'I carries a plate 2I'I' (Fig.3) which moves in vertical slots 2" opening from the bore 2. 7

It will be understood that the syruping head supporting and operatingstructure described "0 Serial No. 671,266 and that the filling head ofthe present invention may be supported and opdesign of the apparatuswith which it is used. Also, bottles or other containers may bepresented to the filling head by any type of conveyor mechanism or byhand.

The structure of each of the heads 2 whereby syruping or filling of abottle is eflected as follows: Each head 2" comprises a measuringchamber 23!, a valve chamber 232 and a nozzle 233. The measuring chamberincludes the usual float 234 which is adapted to be moved upwardly byliquid entering the chamber 23l and to drop downwardly again when liquidflows from the chamber, thereby assisting the flow of the liquid fromthe chamber. The float 234 is provided with packing to engage the wallsof the measuring chamber 23! and its upper surface is adapted to beengaged by the lower end of a stud 233 threaded into the lower end of anadjusting rod 231 threaded inthe cap 223 of the head. The upper end ofthe rod 231 is provided with marked graduations in order that the lowerend of the rod may be properly positioned in the measuring chamber 23!to regulate the upward limit of movement of float 234 and thereby theamount of liquid which flows into the chamber. The stud 236 threaded inthe lower end of the rod 231 is in the nature of a micrometricadjustment and may be pre-set at the factory or at any time when a newplunger 234 is placed in the measuring chamber 23! in order that thecapacity of the chamber as determined by the plunger 234 will exactlycorrespond with the graduated readings at the upper end of the rod 231.

The ordinary practice of merely seating a measuring rod such as 231 inthe chamber is not accurate, since the graduations previously formedupon the rod may not accurately correspond with the actual capacity ofthe chamber as determined by the engagement of the rod and plunger. Forexample, the thickness of the packing used with the plunger and theexact size of the other elements forming the plunger may vary even whenthe closest practice is followed. The provision of the pre-setmicrometric adjustment 236 permits the length of the measuring rod to beexactly fixed so that the capacity of the measuring chamber will exactlycorrespond to the graduated readings on the rod 231.

As best shown in Figure 2, the valve chamber 232 formed in the lowerpart of each of the heads M3 is provided with an upwardly extending bore238 into which opens an inlet port 239, the fitting 2i?! to which thepipe H5 is attached being secured in the inlet port. A plurality ofchannels 23!? extend from the sides of the valve chamber 238 to themeasuring chamber 23L A collar 24! with an upwardly extending annularflange 242 is secured to the lower end of the head, the flange 242extending up into the valve chamber 232. A valve, generally indicated bythe numeral 253, is provided in the valve chamher 232, the valve 233comprising a central disc element 244 and plug valve elements 245 and246 extending respectively from the upper and lower faces of the discelement 244. The nozzle 233 and the lower plug valve element 246 arepreferably formed integrally, the stem 241 of the nozzle being a tubularextension of the plug valve element 246. Slots or kerfs forming ports243 are cut into the upper end of the stem 241 of the nozzle belowtheplug valve element 246.

The upper plug valve element 245 includes an extended guide element 243of tubular shape and having slots or keris cut-therein to form ports253. The upper plug element 245 is preferably provided with a dependingstem "I which is threaded into a socketed tubular-extension 252 plugelement 243. The tubular extension 252 spaces the two plug elements fromeach other and upper and lower fibre discs 253 and 254, re-' spectively,spaced by a flanged metal disc 252a, are clamped between the two plugvalve elements and about the extension 252. The two fibre discs 253 and254 thereby form the opposite faces of the disc element 244, and eachforms a disc valve face. A seat 253a for the upper disc valve face 253is formed on the upper wall of the valve chamber 232 about the bore 233and a seat 254a for the lower disc valve face 254 is formed at the upperend of the flange 242.

A coil spring 255 surrounds the stem 241 of the nozzle to hold thelatter normally in the downward position shown in Figure 1, the upperend of the coil spring bearing upon the lower surface of the disc 24land its lower end bearing upon a shoulder 253 about the nozzle 233. Asis shown in Figure 2, the nozzle includes a centering bell .251 and thesame at the lower end of the stem 241. The sloping walls of thecentering bell serve to guide the mouths of bottles into a propercentered position about the vided in the wall spout 253. A port 253 isproof the centering bell 251 above the lower end of the spout 253 topermit air to escape from the bottle being filled.

The operation of the valve 243 and filling nozzle 233 is as follows:When a head H3 is elevated as shown in Figure l, and the nozzle 233 isout of contact with the mouth of the bottle, the valve 243 is in theposition shown in Figure 1. At this time, liquid may flow from thereservoir 2| 3 of the mechanism and through the tube M6 and port 233into the upper bore 233 of the valve chamber 232. Since the upperguiding element 243 of the valve 243 is tubular or hollow, liquid mayflow therethrough and out of the ports 253 into the valve chamber 232.It is obvious from Figure 1 that no liquid can flow from the valvechamber 232 to the nozzle 233. The elevation of the reservoir 2|3 abovethe head 2l3 will give the liquid flow upwardly from the valve chamber232 through the channels 243 into the measuring chamber 23L The flow ofliquid into the measuring chamber 23| will cause the float 234 to riseuntil its upper surface contacts with the stud 236 on the measuring rod231. When this contact occurs, further upward movement of the float 224will be prevented and no further liquid may flow into the head. When,during the rotation of the mechanism, a head descends upon a bottle, thecontact of the mouth of the bottle with the inner surface of thecentering bell 251 will cause the nozzle 233 and the valve 243 to moveupwardly against the action of the spring 255, moving the lower discvalve face 254 from its seat 254a. As the centering bell moves downabout the bottle mouth its inclined walls will center the mouth of thebottle about the spout 258. The upward movement of the valve 243 willcause the upper plug valve element 245 to move into the extended bore233 of the valve chamber, thereby shutting off communication between thereservoir 2!!! and the valve chamher 232. Continued upward movement ofthe parts will subsequently cause the lower plug valve element 246 tomove entirely out of the provided at the upper end of the lowersuilicient head to a spout 253 is threaded into 4 g bore. through theflanged disc 2; causing the ports 2 in the stem of the nozzie'to beopened to the valve chamber 232. The upper disc face 253 will next comeinto contact with the upper valve seat "la the valve chamber, :As "soonI as the ports 2 have moved upwardly into the ing chamber 23! andthrough the channels 240,

valve chamber, liquid will now from the measurports- 8 and the stem 24'!into the bottle. The flow of the liquid will be accelerated by the float234 in the measuringwchamber in the usual manner. Y

As the bottle moves about the mechanism, it

will be filled with the proper amount 0! liquid, the

filling operation being completed and the camway 228 causingthebellcrank cam member 2|! to elevate the head to move the centering bell251 clear of the mouth of the bottle immediately prior tothe movement ofthe bottle from the mechanism by the rotation of the table on which thebottle is supported.

It will be understood'that limited to the; details of construction shownin the drawings and that the examples of" the use of the device whichhave been given do not include all of the uses of which it is capable:also,

that the phraseology employed in the specification is for the purpose ofdescription and not of limitation.

We claim:

1. The combination in a filling head including a measuring chamber, of amember in the chamber movable upwardly to permit liquid to flow into thechamber, and adjustable means threaded in the chamber to limit theupward movement or ,the member, the last named means including amicrometric adjustment.

2..The combination in a filling head including a measuring chamber, of amember in the cham- 1 ber movable to permit liquid to fiow into thechamber, a rod adjustable with respect to the chamber to limit themovement of the member,

saidjrod having graduated markings thereon-to indicate the limit ofmovement'of the member, and adjustable means on the end of therodadjacent the member to limit the movement of the member to accordwith the markings on the rod.

3. In a filling head, a liquid measuring chamber, a valve chambercommunicating withjthe -.the valve disc and extending to its free end, afilling nozzle on the tree endjof the last-mentioned axial extension,the upper bore oi-thef valve chamber being in communication with' 'asource of liquid, said cage element and the side wall opening of thelowermost axial extension be- I ing so spaced with respect to the lengthof the 4 the invention is not position to place the measuring chamber incommeasuring chamber, the valve chamber including. vertical axial boresextending jirom the'upper and lower ends thereof and an' annular seatingsurface surrounding each'or the bores within the valvechamber,adouble-faced disc valve ofless 5 diameter than the valve chamberreciprocable in the valve chamber and having axial extensions of reduceddiameter projecting from its opposite surfaces and into the respectivebores, a cage member on the'axial extension within the upper verticalbore to provide for flow between said bore and the valve chamber, thelower axial extension having a passage therethrough opening from onesidewall thereof at a point spaced. from,

valve chamber that movement of the disc valve toward one endof the valvechamber will cause v I flow through the passage in the correspondingextension to terminate and the disc valve to subsequently seatsubstantially simultaneously with the beginning of flow through theopposite extension.

4. In a filling head, a measuring chambenja valve, chamber, a fillingnozzle, said valve chamber being provided with connections to a sourceof liquid, the measuring chamber and the filling nozzle, respectively,valve means in the valve chamber, said valve means being movable to amunlcation with the source of liquid and to a position 'toplace themeasuring chamber in com munication with the filling nozzle,respectively, its movement toeither of said positions entirely cuttingoil the fiow established at the other position, and means to define thesize of said meas-' uring chamber comprising a float, within the game,an indexed rod movable in the upper wallv of themeasuring chamber, saidrod having a set screw at its lower end adapted to contact with 45GEORGE J. HUNTLEY. ROBERT J. STEWART.

